Why Might A Clan NOT Have A Tartan?

[PiperChick]

A historical question: What reasons might there be for a clan NOT having their own tartan? They annoyed the tartan-maker? Didn't get the memo? They decided it was just a fad?

By marriage, I'm a Douglas, but by birth, I'm a Creighton/ Crichton (the line that transplanted to Pennsylvania, though I grew up in the town where the Illinois line transplanted to). As far as I can tell, Crichton has a clan crest, but no tartan to call its own. They wear the Edinburgh. I'm curious to know why this might be. Any thoughts?

[McElmurry]

Here is the Crichton tartan.






http://clancrichton.org/tartan

http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart.../crichton-clan

[unixken]

Although I am of the Buchanan Clan, I also have a Sangster line in me, that does not have a tartan of it's own, nor is it part of any clan, that I can find. However, the Sangsters (those in my line, anyway), hailed from the parishes in and around Aberdeen, Scotland. Thus, in addition to all my kilts in Buchanan variants, I also have in my collection a kilt in the Aberdeen District tartan.

If you know from what area of Scotland your line comes from, perhaps there is a regional/district tartan that might also be to your liking, appropriate to your Creighton/Crichton line?

[Phil]

Crichton is a lowland family from the borders and would not have dressed in the "Highland" way - kilts, tartan etc.. In fact, until fairly recent times such attire would have been regarded as somewhat alien. Nowadays virtually every Scottish name has spawned a "clan", mostly at the instigation of your North American compatriots and, of course, a tartan has also been created - http://www.clan-crichton.com/ - this being an example of the type. There is absolutely nothing wrong in such modern romanticism but it has no historical basis in fact.

[Chas]

I could be wrong, but isn't Sangster a Norman French name?

[unixken]

I could be wrong, but isn't Sangster a Norman French name?

It may be, but I can't say for sure. I'm an Ancestry.com user, and have been able to follow that line back only to my 3G-grandfather (b: 1817). Until I can find additional records to take that line further back, I can't be sure where it may originate from.

[ctbuchanan]

There are many names in the Register that are linked to a District Tartans and not a Clan Tartan. Not all Scots were affiliated with a clan historically. I suppose that it is even possible that most were not. There also appear to be many families that have registered tartans for their name that are (or were) already linked to a Clan. But the whole linking of names to one (or in many case more than one) clan seems to be viewed by many with a healthy dose of historical skepticism anyway. As many with more knowledge that I have noted many times, the whole idea of a tartan for a clan is a relatively "modern" notion and one based more on fashion than historical fact.

[TheOfficialBren]

There are many names in the Register that are linked to a District Tartans and not a Clan Tartan. Not all Scots were affiliated with a clan historically. I suppose that it is even possible that most were not. There also appear to be many families that have registered tartans for their name that are (or were) already linked to a Clan. But the whole linking of names to one (or in many case more than one) clan seems to be viewed by many with a healthy dose of historical skepticism anyway. As many with more knowledge that I have noted many times, the whole idea of a tartan for a clan is a relatively "modern" notion and one based more on fashion than historical fact.

Plus one. I bear my father's surname. His family hailed from the Borders (Kircudbrightshire in Galloway). His father's family had no clan affiliation. Dad's mother was a Shaw (there is a Highland clan bearing that name, to which we are connected).

My mum's descended from the Robertsons (Clan Robertson).

To respond further, yes, many Scots today bear surnames with no clan affiliation. They fall into the same category that I do in some cases.

Strict Old Guard tradition? Well, no. Reasonably flexible to accommodate a legitimate interest in a legitimate ancestral/geneological area of ones background? Yes.

Feel free to correct any misunderstanding on my part.

[Chas]

A historical question: What reasons might there be for a clan NOT having their own tartan?

I think that there is a word missing from the question - Yet.

What reasons might there be for a clan NOT having their own tartan yet?

Then the answer is simple. Because no one has done it yet.

Speak to your Chief. Failing that, speak to your Clan. Then form a small committee. Then start designing. Design two - one standard and one hunting. Take them to the Clan. Then register with SRT.

All it takes is the will to do it.

[tulloch]

Clans or families have surnames that come from various sources. Some groups with the same surname are quite large and became associated with a specific pattern. Later weavers came up with designs for families and the Tartan Registry gets loads of registrations all the time now. My little family - Tulloch - was under the wing of Ross and so associates with their tartans.